1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a system, a method, a data server, a recording medium and a program for performing printing via a communications network.
2. Description of the Related Art
Conventionally, printing through a closed network, such as a network built in a company, has been performed with the use of a technique such as disclosed in Unexamined Japanese Patent Application KOKAI Publication No. H4-317118, for example. Specifically, using a control device for controlling a plurality of printers, print data supplied from a plurality of host devices are distributed efficiently to the plurality of printers.
The content of Unexamined Japanese Patent Application KOKAI Publication No. H4-317118 is incorporated herein by reference.
There have been known application service providers (ASP) that offer services for providing application software such as business software through the Internet.
Some ASPs offer their services using a so-called SBC (Server Based Computing) method.
According to the SBC method, client software designed exclusively for utilizing application software provided by the ASP server is preinstalled in a terminal of the user of this service. The user utilizes the application software provided by the ASP, by using the client software installed in his/her terminal.
In this SBC method, if the user wants to print out the interim result or final result of processing performed by the application software, the user once transfers the print data from the ASP server to his/her terminal. Then, the user outputs the transferred print data to a printer which is to print the print data.
However, such a printing method in this SBC system may give a heavy load on the communication between the ASP server and the user's terminal, if the print data includes a large amount. As a result, not only this user's terminal which instructs printing, but also other terminals may not obtain a quick response.